As the hoopla of the presidential campaign comes to New York, featuring the political all-stars seeking to become the world's most powerful leader, another race is also under way in the city - a contest of the largely obscure. It involves candidates hoping to become the world's most prominent diplomat. At the stroke of midnight on 31 December, as the glitter ball in Times Square makes its annual descent, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is due to end his term in office. The manoeuvring to succeed him - at present it is too genteel to describe it as a fight - is now moving into higher gear. Just as Campaign 2016 could end up with the election of the first female US president,...
